Air washing device



Feb. 18, 1936. D. A. BARNIE 2,031,02?

AIR WASHI NG DEVICE Filed May 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR) Jamil Z jar/Z13;

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 18, 1936. D BARNIE 2,031,027

AIR WASHING DEVICE Filed May 15, 1955' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR;

' Jar/1'0 J5. jar/212;

' ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 18, 1936 PATENT ()FFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in air washing devices.

An object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for emciently washing and cleaning air, which may be loaded with dust, smoke, stone dust, metal dust, etc. It is particularly adapted for use in connection with stone cutting plants, bufiing rooms, and soft coal burning apparatus.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus and method for washing air which will be very simple in construction, economical of operation, and one which will operate continuously and eificiently without attendance, and with practically no expense for maintenance.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be more completely and clearly disclosed and described in the specification, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

Broadly, my invention comprises a. dust collecting chamber, a sediment tank, connecting or com-' municating means between the chamber and the tank, and air inlet passageway leading into the chamber, means for introducing water into the chamber and the tank, a paddle wheel in the chamber, an exhaust tower having communication with and connected to the chamber, an exhaust fan, connecting means between the exhaust fan and the tower, and means for driving the fan and the paddle wheel.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the assembled apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the assembled apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view, illustrating the modified form of water battle between the chamber and the tower.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the exhaust tower, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View of the exhaust tower, taken on the line 5-5 of Figs. 2 and 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout:

The dust, or smoke-laden air, is drawn into the collecting chamber l. which may be a flexible, or bendable hose construction, and inlet opening 3. The chamber I is connected to a sediment tank 4, by means of an inclined pipe 5, communicating with the bottom of the chamber l. The chamber I and sediment tank 4 are filled with Water to a level, indicated at 6, by means of a water inlet I and pas-- sage 8. A paddle wheel 9 is revolvably-supported on a shaft I3 within the collecting chamber I and is pmvid d w th a s ll, only e O wh c is through an inlet pipe 2,

shown, between which flanges are located a plurality of blades I2, that do not extend to the shaft I0, as shown. An exhaust tower I3, connected to the chamber I, is provided with an opening I4, at its lower end, which provides access, 5 or communication, to the tower I3, from the collecting chamber 1. A screen I5 is removably secured across the opening I4, in guides I6. Baffle plates, or partitions, I'I, I8, and I9, are secured within the tower I3, and are formed with open- 10 ings 20, 2|, and 22, which are in staggered relation with each other, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5. These plates, as shown, are more or less V- shaped in cross section. An exhaust pipe 23, connected to the top of the exhaust tower I3, provides communicating means for air passing upwardly through the tower I3, to a suction fan 24, which is operated by a motor 25. A belt 26, engaged on a pulley 21, on the motor shaft 28 and a pulley 29, on the shaft Ill, serves to revolve the paddle wheel 9 in the dust-collecting chamber I. In operation, a fan 24 creates a partial vacuum within the exhaust tower I3 and collecting chamber I, which draws the dust-laden air into this chamber I, through pipe 2 and inlet 3. The heavier particles of dust fall to the bottom of the chamber I and pass downwardly through the pipe 5, into the sediment tank 4. The lighter particles of dust are carried with the air, through the blades of the paddle wheel 9, toward the opening I4. As the wheel 9 revolves, the blades I 2 throw a curtain of water in front of the opening I4 and the dust is caught in this curtain of water and precipitated and settles, through the water in the chamber I, to the sediment tank 4. The screen I6 acts as a water collector to prevent Water being thrown out by the wheel 9 from being carried up in the tower I3, with the exhausted air. Any moisture, or water vapor, which may escape through the screen I5, is collected, or condensed, on the underside of the bafile plates II, I8, and I9, so that only dry, clean air will pass from the exhaust tower I3 through the fan 24 and out of the exhaust pbrt 30. For some purposes. it is desirable to maintain a slow circulation of water through the collecting chamber I and the sediment tank 4. The water enters the chamber I, through pipe 1 and passage 8, and may be discharged through an overflow inlet 3i and pipe 32. The silt, or settlings 33 may be siphoned from the tank 4, by turning the inlet 3| downwardly, connecting thereto a short length of pipe 34. Water, entering the chamber I through the passage 8, is prevented from being drawn up into the tower I3 by a partition 34', across the tower I3 and above the passage 8.

A baiile 35, extending across the chamber I, be-

tween the inlet 3 and paddle wheel 9, prevents a any moisture from accumulating at the opening 3, and causing mud to build up and gradually choke the opening 3. The provision of what is called in the trade, a dry inlet, is of particular advantage in an apparatus of this kind, as it reduces maintenance cost, requiring practically no attention, to keep it in operating condition.

A modified construction, at the opening I4, between the collecting chamber and the exhaust tower i3, is shown in Fig. 3. The screen I is omitted and a baffle 35 is secured at the top of the opening M to catch the water curtain, thrown up by the wheel 9.

What I claim is:

1. A dust washing machine comprising, in combination, a dust-collecting chamber having an inlet opening, a sediment tank having communication with the said chamber, the chamber and tank having Water therein, a water-agitating member in the said chamber having lateral passages through the same, an exhaust member having a communication passage with the said collecting chamber, the water agitating member operating to project a curtain of water across the said passage, means for drawing the dust-laden air through the collecting chamber and for simultaneously operating the water-agitating member, the exhaust member having deflecting plates therein for causing the currents of air to travel in a circuitous path, and said plates serving to render the air passing through the exhaust chamber in a dry condition.

2. A dust washing machine comprising, in combination, a dust-collecting chamber having an inlet opening, a sediment tank having communication wi'th the said chamber, the chamber and tank having water therein, a water-agitating member in the said chamber, an exhaust member having a communication passage with the said collecting chamber, means for drawing the dustladen air through the collecting chamber and for simultaneously operating the water-agitating member, a screen member in the said communicating passage, the water-agitating member being so located that a curtain of water is thrown by the Water-agitating member in front of the screen, whereby the dust in the dust-laden air is caught and deposited in the said collecting chamber and moist air only passes through the screen to the exhaust member;

3'. A dust washing machine comprising, in combination, a dust-collecting chamber having an inlet opening, a sediment tank having communication with the said chamber, the chamber and tank having water therein, a water-agitating member in the said chamber, an exhaust memher having a communication passage with the said collecting chamber, means for drawing the dustladen air through the collecting chamber and for simultaneously operating the water-agitating member, the water-agitating member being so located relative to the said communicating passage that the dust-laden air is freed--from dust by a curtain of water projected front of said passage and deposited in the collecting receptacle an a k- 4;, In a dust Washing machine, an exhaust chamber, deflecting plates in said chamber, each plate having an opening and the openings being out of alignment, and said plates serving to collect moisture on their under surfaces for removing the moisture from water-laden air when drawn therethrough, a dust-collecting chamber having a liquid therein, and means for projecting a curtain of the liquid across the path of the dust-laden air before it comes into contact with the said plates.

5. In combination, in a dust washing machine, a collecting chamber and sediment tank in communication with each other for receiving a dustcollecting liquid, the collecting chamber having an inlet opening, a paddle wheel in the collecting chamber, the blades of which are spaced at their inner ends to form an air passage through the wheel, an overflow in the sediment tank, means in the collecting chamber adjacent the inlet opening to prevent the opening from becoming clogged with accumulated particles of dust or other substances in suspension in the air to be washed.

6. In combination, in a dust washing machine, a collecting chamber and sediment tank in communication with each other for receiving a dustcollecting liquid, the collecting chamber having a dust-laden air inlet opening, a paddle wheel in the collecting chamber the blades of which are spaced at their inner ends to form an air passage through the wheel, an overflow in the sediment tank, means in the collecting chamber adjacent the inlet opening to prevent the opening from becoming clogged with accumulated particles of the dust-laden air or other substances in suspension in the air to be washed, the blades of the paddle wheel in the liquid of the collecting chamber move adjacent the inlet opening, an exhaust chamber having a passage leading to the collectingchamber, meansfor drawing the dust-laden airthrough the blades of the paddle wheel and the exhaust member, and simultaneously operating the paddle wheel, the said passage having a deflecting plate to direct the dust-collecting liquid away from the passage to prevent the liquid from being drawn into the exhaust chamber, and baffle plates or partitions in said exhaust chamber having openings therein that are out of alignment.

'7. In combination, in a dust washing machine, a dust-collecting chamber and sediment tank in communication with each other for receiving water, an exhaust chamber having a passage leading to the collecting chamber, a water inlet to the collecting chamber and adjacent the passage, a deflecting plate separating the water inlet from the exhaust chamber, means for drawing dustladen air into the said chamber, through the exhaust chamber, a paddle wheel in the said chamber for projecting a curtain of water adjacent the said passage to intercept and collect the dust in the dust-laden air, the exhaust chamber having means depositing moisture in the air therein and returning it to the collecting chamber.

8. A dust washing machine comprising, in combination, a dust-collecting chamber having an inlet opening, a sediment tank having communication with the said chamber, the chamber and tank having water therein, a water-agitating member in the said chamber, the agitator having openings through the same, an exhaust member having a communication passage that is provided with open bafiie plates that are out of alignment with the said collecting chamber, the water-agitating member operating to, project a curtain of water across the said passage, means for drawing the dust-laden air through the collecting chamber and for simultaneously operating the wateragitating member for producing the said curtain of water.

DAVID A, BARNIE. 

